Lions Finish Second at Beach Cup, Earn 1.5 PCH Cup Points

LMU won six events on Saturday to finish second in the standings behind San Diego.

MALIBU, Calif. -
The LMU swimming team won six events on Saturday to finish second at the two-day 2013 Beach Cup being held at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool on the campus of Pepperdine University. The University of San Diego won the competition with 711 total points, followed by the Lions (681), Fresno State (596) and Pepperdine (210). With the road victory, LMU earns 1.5 points in the Wells Fargo PCH Cup standings, extending its lead to 7-3 over the Waves.

LMU finished 30 points out of first place despite not fielding a diving team. San Diego earned 35 points in the diving events, escaping with the first-place finish overall.

LMU proved dominant in the breaststroke events, finishing in each of the top-four spots in both the 100 and 200 events. Senior Camille Hopp won the 100 in 1:04.64, followed by Rachel Dekar (1:05.29), Hallie Hengels (1:07.46) and Stephanie Hess (1:07.52). Dekar took top honors in the 200, earning a time of 2:18.37, followed by Hopp (2:20.98), Hengels (personal-best 2:22.12) and Hess (personal-best 2:24.93).

LMU's 200 freestyle relay team of Kristen Clarno, Kjirsten Magnuson, Katie Rick and Hopp combined for a time of 1:35.90 to win the event, while Clarno also earned top billing in the 400 individual medley in a career-best 4:27.69. LMU also won the 400 medley relay as Clarno, Dekar, Angelina Prat and Hopp teamed to post a mark of 3:55.53. Sophie Allen, Hengels, Kristen Brennand and Rick also placed in the top-three, finishing third with a mark of 3:58.24.

Angelina Prat had a stellar Saturday, winning the 200 butterfly in a career-best time of 2:04.80 while also placing second in the 100 butterfly at 58.31. Noelani Vargas also earned a second-place finish, taking second in the 200 backstroke to lead a trio of Lions in the top-five. Vargas touched the wall in 2:06.45, followed by Sophie Allen in third (2:06.45) and Clarno in fifth at 2:08.03. Magnuson was the final Lion to finish second, earning her finish in the 100 backstroke at 59.08, joined by Allen in fifth at 59.84.

Other top-five finishes for the Lions included Brennand's fourth-place finish in the 100 butterfly (58.95), Rick's fourth-place finish in the 200 freestyle (1:56.98), Mary Kate Short's fourth-place finish in the 1650 freestyle (17:58.08), and Magnuson's fifth-place finish in the 100 freestyle (53.70).

"With two dual meets remaining, we are starting to get the performances we need to be competitive in the MPSF Conference," Head Coach Bonnie Adair said. "The freshmen have really stepped it up and have greatly added the depth that we were lacking last season. I also credit our four seniors, Allen, Hess, Hopp and Vargas, who will be honored at next week's final home meet, for leading by example and helping to bring this young team to a stronger place. I expect that all will be posting personal best performances in their final conference championships in February. They are earning it each and every day."

LMU returns to action on January 26 when it hosts CSU Bakersfield and Cal Baptist at Burns Aquatics Center at 12 p.m.